Air Pudding

Isaiah 29:8, “It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams, and, behold, he eats; but he awakens, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreams, and, behold, he drinks; but he awakens, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.”

TODAY, I WANNA SHARE SOMETHING WITH YOU CALLED: “AIR PUDDING”

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER HEARD OF AIR PUDDING?

“AIR PUDDING” IS AN IMAGINARY FOOD YOU EAT – WHEN YOU CAN’T GET WHAT YOU WANT.

IF YOUR MIND CAN IMAGINE IT – THEN “AIR PUDDING” JUST POPS UP RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

HOW MANY OF YOU LIKE STEAK? WELL, “AIR PUDDING” CAN COME IN THE FORM OF A STEAK.

IF YOU DREAM ABOUT IT – IF YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES AND THINK ABOUT IT – IT WILL JUST POP UP IN FRONT OF YOU – YOU’LL SEE IT JUST AS PLAIN AS DAY:

•YOU CAN SEE YOURSELF SLICING IT – WATCHING THE SUCCULENT JUICES FLOW

•YOU CAN SEE THE FORK AS IT BRINGS EACH MORSEL TO YOUR MOUTH

•IT’S NOT TOUGH – YOU CAN CHEW IT AND SWALLOW IT EASILY

HOWEVER, WHEN YOU FINISH IT – YOU’RE STILL HUNGRY. WHY? BECAUSE ALL YOU HAD WAS “AIR PUDDING!”

“AIR PUDDING” CAN BE ANY FOOD YOU CAN THINK OF: STEAK, PORK CHOPS, RICE AND GRAVY, CATFISH, COLLARD GREENS AND MACARONI AND CHEESE!

NOW, SO I DON’T LOOSE THE YOUNG PEOPLE – AIR PUDDING CAN ALSO BE: A QUARTER POUNDER W/ CHEESE, CHICKEN NUGGETS – WITH A SUPER SIZED FRY!

BUT “AIR PUDDING” NEVER FILLS YOU UP. YOU CAN EAT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT – BUT YOU’LL NEVER BE SATISFIED. WHY? BECAUSE “AIR PUDDING” IS JUST AN ILLUSION.

AND IT’S NOT JUST LIMITED TO FOOD – MANY PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO: ACHIEVE, SUCCEED AND DO GREAT THINGS IN LIFE - BUT THEY ONLY HAVE A SUPERFICIAL BELIEF IN GOD – OR NO BELIEF IN GOD AT ALL.

SURE, THEY “DREAM” OF HAPPINESS – THEY “DREAM” OF THE GOOD LIFE.

BUT I STOPPED BY HERE TO LET YOU KNOW THIS MORNING – WITHOUT GOD – YOUR DREAMS ARE SIMPLY “AIR PUDDING” – IT IS AN ILLUSION!

BUT HOW MANY KNOW TODAY – IF WE SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, ALL OF THE THINGS WE DREAM ABOUT – CAN BECOME A REALITY?

WE’LL COME BACK TO THE “AIR PUDDING” IN JUST A MOMENT – LET’S LOOK AT OUR TEXT:

THIS MORNING WE HAVE ISAIAH GIVING A WARNING TO ISRAEL – ABOUT PLACING VAIN HOPE IN “MAN” AND “SYMBOLS” – INSTEAD OF TRUSTING IN THE POWER OF GOD.

ISAIAH PROPHESIED – THERE WOULD BE A DAY WHEN JERUSALEM (WHICH WAS CALLED “ARIEL” IN VERSE 1) WOULD BE SURROUNDED BY ITS ENEMIES.

THE PEOPLE PUT THEIR TRUST IN “ARIEL” (WHICH MEANS “LION OF GOD”) – BECAUSE IT REPRESENTED THEIR “RITUALS AND SACRIFICES” – IT WAS A “SYMBOL.”

SO THE ENEMIES CAME AND SURROUNDED THEM. AND RATHER THAN FIGHT THE PEOPLE – THEY TRIED TO STARVE THEM OUT.

SO HERE’S THE SCENE: ON THE INSIDE OF THE WALLS – THE PEOPLE TRUSTED THE HISTORY OF THE CITY – WHICH WAS A HISTORY OF SACRIFICES AND RITUALISMS AND TRUSTING IN SYMBOLS.

ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE WALLS – THE ASSYRIAN ARMY WAITED WITH DREAMS OF RICHES AND VICTORY.

BUT IF YOU CONTINUE TO READ – YOU’LL SEE GOD SENT AN ANGEL THAT DESTROYED THE ARMY ON THE SPOT.

THE NEXT MORNING, WHAT BOTHERED ISRAEL WAS NO MORE – IT WAS LIKE A BAD DREAM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

THE SAME WAY A MAN DREAMS HE’S EATING IN THE NIGHT – BUT WAKES UP HUNGRY.

•THE ENEMY DREAMED OF THE DAY THEY WOULD TAKE ISRAEL CAPTIVE – BUT WHAT THEY GOT WAS “AIR PUDDING”.

•THEY DREAMED OF HOW GOOD THEY WOULD FEEL – ONCE THEY DESTROYED THE PEOPLE OF GOD – BUT WHAT THEY GOT WAS “AIR PUDDING.”

ISRAEL PLACED A LOT OF HOPE AND FAITH – IN ITS SYMBOLS, RELIGIONS AND RITUALS.

AND IF WE KEEP IT REAL IN HERE THIS MORNING – THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE TODAY WHO PLACE AND INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TRUST IN “GOOD LUCK CHARMS” AND “SYMBOLS” – INSTEAD OF PLACING THEIR TRUST IN THE POWER OF GOD!

OH YEH – THEY WEAR “RABBITS FEET” AROUND THEIR NECKS, WRIST AND ANKLES – THEY STRATEGICALLY PLACE THEM AROUND THEIR HOMES.

BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW – THERE IS NO SAVING GRACE OR SPECIAL PROTECTIVE POWERS – THAT WILL PROTECT YOU FROM THE ENEMY IN TIMES OF TROUBLE!

IN TIMES OF TROUBLE – TRUSTING IN “SYMBOLS” AND “LUCKY CHARMS” IS LIKE “AIR PUDDING” – IT WILL BE LIKE AN ILLUSION!

WHEN YOUR ENEMY COMES – THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO WITH THOSE “RABBITS FEET” AND “HORSE SHOES” – IS THROW EM AT THEM AND THEN RUN AWAY AS FAST AS YOU CAN!